Reports of promising gold grades in Guelmim have taken the Moroccan internet by storm, with many hailing it as a major discovery. But mining expert Youssef Daafi cautions that without structured drilling and adherence to international standards, such results cannot yet be considered a proven deposit or reserve. Last week, Moroccan media buzzed with headlines about the «discovery of a gold deposit» in Guelmim. Fieldwork conducted by Olah Palace, an exploration-development platform focused on Morocco's mineral-rich landscapes, reported uncovering a network of 34 quartz veins with notable gold concentrations in southern Morocco. Initial results suggested highly promising grades, ranging from 6 g/t to 300 g/t. The company later corrected this figure, acknowledging a communication error: the actual range was 6 g/t to 30 g/t, not 300. Despite the clarification, the story went viral, amplified by translations and media language that blurred the technical nuance. A preliminary indication, not a discovery According to Moroccan mining expert Youssef Daafi, the results reported in Guelmim should not be described as a «discovery», but rather as a preliminary geological indication. «These results can be promising, but they only reflect a very small, localized portion of mineralization», Daafi explained in an article he published Saturday on LinkedIn. «A sample, even a rich one, does not prove the existence of a mineral resource, let alone a reserve». Without a structured drilling campaign, it is impossible to know whether the grades are consistent, extend at depth, or disappear quickly. Samples are often taken from the most visible and accessible parts of mineralized veins, creating what Daafi calls a «positive bias». Wording matters : International standards Confirming a gold resource is a lengthy, structured process guided by international standards, Daafi argues. The expert points to the CRIRSCO framework (Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards), an international body that sets the global framework for reporting mineral resources, a natural concentration with potential for extraction, and reserves, proven, economically mineable part of that resource. CRIRSCO's mission is to harmonize definitions and standards worldwide so companies, investors, and regulators can speak the same technical language, «clearly distinguishing the stages of project maturity, providing a roadmap from initial exploration to mine development», Daafi writes. Under this framework, mineral resources are divided into three levels of confidence. Inferred resources are based on limited geological data and have low confidence. Indicated resources are supported by denser and more reliable data, enabling more precise estimates. Measured resources are the most robust, with high geological confidence and strict grade control. Mineral reserves go a step further. They represent the economically mineable portion of those resources, confirmed after technical and economic studies. Probable reserves are usually derived from indicated resources, with reasonable confidence, while proven reserves come from measured resources, with high technical and economic confidence. Moving from resource to reserve requires systematic drilling, 3D modeling, metallurgical testing, and full feasibility studies. Daafi also highlights the complementary UN framework, the UNFC (United Nations Framework Classification), which evaluates projects across three axes: E for socio-economic viability, F for project feasibility, and G for geological knowledge. This approach, he argues, ensures that a project is assessed not only on grades but also on its technical readiness and social acceptability. Risk of media hype The excitement around Guelmim is not unusual. Companies often speak of «potential» or «prospects», which is technically accurate. The problem arises when media outlets translate these into terms like «deposit» or «discovery» that have precise definitions in mining, Daafi warns. «This confusion often arises from efforts to simplify or sensationalize a technical release, but it fuels false expectations and public hype around fragile information», he clarified. In short, high-grade samples alone don't make a mine. As Daafi emphasizes, the real test lies in following internationally recognized standards that separate «a simple geological indication from an industrial reality».
